Seattle Seahawks: Sheldon Rankins the dream pick?

We all know the biggest weakness on the Seattle Seahawks roster is the offensive line, which would only get worse if Russell Okung walks this month, so it’s understandable that many mock drafts have them taking Taylor Decker or Jack Conklin. However, the Seahawks best pick may be on the other side of the trenches, as Sheldon Rankins could be the missing piece to insurmountable dominance from a defensive line that already has an enviable three-man stable of defensive ends.

Few prospects have been rising up draft boards as quickly as Louisville product Sheldon Rankins, and I don’t think it’s impossible for him to be a top-ten selection at this stage. His more likely ceiling is 12th to the DL-needy New Orleans Saints, so it naturally follows that the Seattle Seahawks at pick No. 26 represent his absolute floor.

Disruptive interior defenders like Rankins are always in high demand, and it’s telling that Aaron Donald and Geno Atkins are two of the players he models his game after, per the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s Bob McGinn. The third? J.J. Watt.

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Of course, Rankins is a smart guy who knows you can influence opinion by mentioning the cream of the crop as your model players, simply because fans will look at those names mentioned in the same sentence as Rankins. Thus, it’s value rise by association.

Andrew Billings’s strength and age make him another attractive option on the defensive line, but there isn’t a better defensive tackle in this class at rushing the passer. Although Rankins isn’t the only impressive DT worth the Seahawks consideration at No. 26, he fits the profile of a dream pick for them.

The Seahawks love moving Michael Bennett inside to take advantage of his explosiveness, violent hands, and quickness off the snap to generate mis-matches and completely overwhelm less athletic offensive linemen. Imagine them being able to keep Bennett and Cliff Avril on the outside with Rankins wreaking havoc up the middle.

I know the pending departures of veteran run-stuffers Brandon Mebane and Ahtyba Rubin lend someone like Jarran Reed as a more direct replacement, but the Seahawks don’t need to spend a first-round pick on someone who is only going to add beef up front. I’d rather spend a high pick on someone who can make a big impact in the passing game, even if his run defense is “only solid” and not “great”.

Although the Seahawks will be an elite defense in 2015 with or without a first-round pick on that side of the ball, Rankins has a chance to make this defense truly special again. There’s no doubt that this unit is still elite, and the defensive ends are the best in football. But if they can add an interior pass rusher on top of what they have on the outside in Bennett, Avril, and second-year pro Frank Clark, then they won’t need to worry about things like depth at cornerback or even health at safety.

Elite defensive lines and pass rushes that can attack from all areas can cover up minor weaknesses behind them, and the Seahawks could reap huge rewards by taking Rankins. If Decker and Conklin are no longer available but Rankins is, then taking the latter is a no-brainer. Conklin’s ability to play guard makes him interested, but, in all honesty, Decker would be the only prospect to give me pause if it came down to an OL vs. Rankins scenario.

Oct 22, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett (72) celebrates after a sack against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at Levi /

That’s all because I doubt Rankins is there for the Seahawks at pick 26 anyway, and it’s why I view him as a “dream” catch for Seattle. The upside here is tremendous, and it’s enough that even a team like the New York Giants could be compelled to snag him at No. 10. Any size concerns are irrelevant, and while it may seem like his meteoric rise has come too suddenly, the fact of the matter is that DTs with strong pass rushing moves, good agility, and exceptional quickness are held in high esteem. You can thank division rival Aaron Donald for that.

Remember how Kawann Short embarrassed the Seahawks offensive line in the playoffs? I know that display makes it more compelling to go with a lineman, but I think the ‘Hawks should look for an OL after the first (just not too late, which was their strategy in 2015).

More nfl spin zone: Who did the Seahawks take in our latest Mock Draft?

However, that performance by Short is a reminder of just how much that type of player can influence a game, and it’s worth noting that CBS Sports’s Dane Brugler compares Rankins to Short. That is indeed a lofty comp.

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